1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for managing multimedia objects such as text, images, sound, and video clips. More particularly, the present invention relates to management of a database which includes such multimedia objects, together with software tools that facilitate input, manipulation and output of multimedia objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multimedia objects are computerized objects that contain components from different media. A typical multimedia object will include a text component, a picture component (such as a computerized image file in .JPEG or .GIF format), a sound clip (such as a computerized file in a .WAV format), and an executable component (such as ActiveX controls). Multimedia objects are interesting because they provide the means to convey large quantities of information quickly.
One problem commonly encountered when using multimedia objects is the difficulty in managing them. Stated another way, when the tremendous amount of information in a single multimedia object is multiplied by the number of multimedia objects, the resulting amount of information is staggering.
To deal with this staggering amount of information, the traditional concept of a database has been expanded so as to allow storage of, and access to, each individual component of a multimedia object. Thus, conventionally available databases such as Access from Microsoft Corporation allow not only text data to be included, but also allow image data, sound data, and executable data also to be included in a database record. Thus, conventional database technology, extended to include the concepts of images, sound files, executables and other multimedia components, has considerably improved the ability to manage multimedia objects.
At the same time, improvement is needed, particularly in the areas of input, manipulation and output of multimedia objects.